The Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee, Ikot Abasi Local Government area, Akwa Ibom, said it intercepted boat laden with 100,000 litres of crude oil in the state.

The Commander of NNS Jubilee, Commodore Martins Fakrogha, stated this while interacting with journalists at Ibaka in the Mbo Local Government Area of the state on Thursday.

He explained that the boat was arrested on Tuesday at about 5.00am while approaching one of the oil wells located in the state.

“From a credible source, a large boat known as Cotonou boat was sighted at about 23.9 nautical miles seaward of Imo River entrance,” he said.

The commander said the boat was abandoned by the crude oil thieves on sighting a Private Maritime Logistics Support Company (PMLSC) boat with Nigerian Navy personnel on board.

“The objectives of the Operation Delta Sanity 2 is to checkmate illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, smuggling, piracy amongst other maritime crimes in the Eastern Flank of the country’s maritime environment with a view to increase the country’s crude oil production,” he said.

Mr Fakrogha stated that the arrest of the boat demonstrated the Nigerian Navy’s resolve and commitment to reduce maritime related crime in the country.

He said that the items recovered on board were 100,000 litres of product suspected to be crude oil, 12 Gee Pee tanks, three Service tanks, four submersible pumps and three outboard engines.
Mr Fakrogha warned crude oil thieves and other criminals operating in the Eastern flank of the country to desist from economic sabotage, saying that the Navy was poised to “deal ruthlessly with economic saboteurs.”

(NAN)